


Barbeques and Realizations

by Anamaric17



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Declarations Of Love, F/M, Friendship/Love, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 19:57:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7187957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anamaric17/pseuds/Anamaric17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abbie and Crane go to a BBQ hosted by Daniel and realize something new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Barbeques and Realizations

**Author's Note:**

> was listening to SEREBRO "Pereputala" and was inspired to wake up and write this.

　

"Stop pulling on it or you will ruin it next time we wash it."

Ichabod huffed but obeyed as Abbie pulled his hand away from his t-shirt collar for the third time. He was dressed in what she called "normal clothes" a white and blue striped t-shirt that she said brought out his eyes, made them 'pop', and a pair of dark blue jeans. His feet adored in black and tan sneakers.

"I will try to occupy my hands elsewhere but I shall require something in them...perhaps a book from the car?" He said raising an eyebrow her way.

"No. This should work better." She said before grabbing his hand and linking their fingers. She looked up at him with a sly smile knowing he wouldn't argue with her. She knew he liked holding her hand.

They had no idea their banter was being watched or listened to as they entered the backyard of Daniel Reynolds' house. He has invited the agents and their friends and family to a barbeque for the Fourth of July. Abbie at first has not wanted to come but Crane overheard about it and wanted to experience an "American tradition" and she couldn't deny him that.

Danny watched them from across the yard and wandered why they were so close. The more he watched them, the more dismayed he became.

"Do you want a taste? It's kinda tangy but I think you will like it." Abbie said holding out her fork full of potato salad. Crane made a face at the appearance of the yellow substance but Abbie looked hopeful.

"As you wish." He said and took a bite albeit a small one. His eyes lit up and he chewed.

"Yeah?" She asked eating the rest off the spoon.

"Absolutely! Abbie this dish-we must make this for next weekend. It is amazing!" He said stealing her fork, which was still in her mouth, and placing it deep in the potato salad before taking a huge helping and stuffing his mouth full.

Abbie threw her head back laughing at him as he got mustard on the corner of his mouth.

"I am glad you are eating real food not just sugar laced stuff. Come here, I can't with you." She said grinning as she wiped the mustard off his face and Ichabod laughed.

Danny sighed when he realized they were in a world all their own and not even the other police officer's staring occasionally their way could break in. He didn't want to be rude but he at least had to warn Abbie she was being watched. He slowly made his way over to the two of them. They were in the middle of a battle of who was getting the last bite of potato salad. Crane's arms were wrapped securely around Abbie's waist as she playfully pulled away taking her plate with her.

"No, Crane! Crane stop! I let you have all the pie last night. Get up and get more for yourself!" She said through laughter not hearing Danny's footsteps approaching.

"But yours always taste better and you lie, Abbie. You ate the last piece of pie not me!" Crane said tickling her until she laughed even harder and put the plate down to tickle him back. They ended up with him leaning close enough to kiss her. Their eyes connecting and they were sharing the same breathing space.

"Am I interrupting?" Daniel said knowing full well he totally was.

Abbie and Crane took a minute to remember themselves, and Abbie pulled away first. She straightened her outfit, a cute red, white, and blue capri set. Her stomach exposed and Danny has a flashback of watching that very stomach heaving below him. He shook his head trying to clear his mind.

"Uh...hi Danny. Crane and I were uh...so how is everything?" Abbie said nervously. Ichabod started to fidgit again next to her so she grabbed his hand without thinking to calm him. It worked like it always did. Daniel noticed the hand holding again and felt a lump in his throat knoning he should leave them alone.

"I just wanted to make sure you guys were enjoying your day. How is the food?" Daniel said smiling politely.

"We are having fun. Right Crane?" Abbie said looking at him and waiting for him to be polite back. She even squeezed his hand and earned a squeeze back for it.

"Yes the day is wonderful. Of course being home on a Saturday in our pajamas watching Netflix with the blue blanket to share between us is more fun...the change in routine is not that awful." Crane said smugly throwing it in Danny's face that he got to snuggle with Abbie.

"Uh...great. Hey Abs...mind if we catch up a bit?" Daniel said trying to let the fact that Ichabod lived with her and saw her in her pajamas out his mind. Crane was a slick bastard letting the other man know he had her.

Abbie patted his beard covered cheek in a silent "thank you" that he was at least nice to Danny.

"I'll be right back okay?" She said to Crane who smiled back at her and kissed her hand before slowly unwinding their fingers. Abbie walked away with Danny towards the front of the house to talk. The whole time, she kept absentmindedly rubbing her hand where Crane's lips had been. She seemed preoccupied with getting back to him.

"Hey everything okay with you, Abs?" Daniel asked touching her shoulder and she moved away politely.

"Yeah I'm great. Why? Everything ok with you, Danny?" She asked touching her hand again.

Daniel sighed and started to laugh while shaking his head. Abbie frowned and finally looked at him with her full attention.

"Danny are-"

"You really can't see it can you? I thought I had a shot but I'm so far out of my zone it doesn't matter."

"What the hell are you talking about, Reynolds?" She said getting irritated with him. She only called him by his last name when she was pissed off.

"You two, Crane. You two love each other so much and you both have no idea." Daniel whispered and Abbie's eyes got big as saucers. She rubbed the spot on her hand again, noticed she was doing it when Danny pointed at her hand, and then she stopped crossing her arms.

"Crane is my best friend. He and I have been through shit I can't even begin to explain to you. We are one. He is my rock and I don't have to explain my relationship to you." She said haughtily and even more upset.

"Shit Abbie I didn't...I'm sorry to upset you. It's just the way you act with him. You two don't even include anyone else in your sphere. Don't you understand what that means?" Daniel asked making her look at him with his intense stare.

Abbie sighed and bit her lip looking away with tears in her eyes. She was beginning to shake and she was not sure if she was afraid or upset with this topic.

"You really...you are afraid to go there with him. Why? Abbie you aren't afraid of anything." Daniel said rubbing her shoulder and she pulled away and started to pace.

"You don't get it do you? Not everything is that black and white Danny. And we all have things we fear, even me." She said letting a few tears fall before wiping at them angrily.

"Loving someone should not be something you are afraid of. He deserves to know...and you deserve happiness." With those words Danny let her go in his heart and walked away.

Abbie sat on the porch swing of Danny's house and wiped at her eyes wishing she wasn't so transparent to Danny. She heard footsteps that she would recognize anywhere in a crowd but she didn't look up.

"Hey." She said still wiping her tears.

"Abbie...Agent Reynolds said you were here and upset so I bought you these." Crane said handing her a few napkins. She took them gratefully and he sat down beside her and silently wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Do you want to go home now? Perhaps stop off for some ice cream first? I can order your favorite strawberry and vanilla and you can get that new peanut butter cup sundae you wanted to try. That way you can try both of them. I do not mind giving up my brownie sundae for you." Crane said comfortingly and she shook her head.

"You don't have to do that, I'll be alright in a few minutes. Thank you for coming to find me." She said taking a few deep breathes and resting her head against his shoulder.

"I want you to be more than alright, Grace. And I will always come find you. Always." He whispered into her hair. She looked up at him just as he looked down and their eyes melted into each other. They remained that way, silent for a while and just staring. Then Abbie got brave.

"Crane...I have something I wanna tell you but I'm afraid." Abbie whispered looking down at his chest.

"Anything we can conquer together Grace Abigail Mills. Anything. You do not have to be afraid with me." Ichabod said pulling her chin up gently with his index and thumb finger.

"I think I might be in love with you. Like not just as a friend or family. Danny said he could see it. He said everyone could see it but us. Do you believe that?" She said biting her lip and looking down again.

Ichabod was silent for a few minutes which was making her more nervous and feeling like she just destroyed everything.

"Crane. Speak to me please. I mean I'm kinda freaking out right now." She said still looking down and feeling her tears returning.

"I think Daniel is correct. I...I just never thought you would admit it first. I mean I had a whole senario written out in my head about how one day I would tell you." Crane said swallowing hard in his throat. She watched him looking for signs of a trick but there were none. This man was vulnerable and telling her the complete truth.

"What...you-"

"I love you too Grace. I love you more than my next breath. More than the next beat of my heart. I have loved you since I met you." Ichabod said kissing her now. She at first was frozen in place not knowing how to take the news, and then she kissed him back. Her tears washing both of them.

"Shh...don't cry, Treasure. This is a good thing and you don't have to be scared of this." Crane whispered against her lips before they kissed again. She nodded and he wiped her tears before kissing under each eye and then her cheeks and her forehead like she were made of porcelain.

"I'm just...I love you so much and I'm afraid you will leave me. Everybody else leaves me." She whispered back and Crane pulled her into his lap letting her cry some more.

"I will always be where you are. I will always come back to you if we are ever separated. For there is nothing in this world for me without you, Abbie. I do not exist without you." He said kissing her again and again.

Once she finally calmed down Ichabod let her rest her head in his lap. He stroked her hair and whispered words of encouragement and comfort to her.

"Do you want to go home? I think we can find something worth watching on Netflix." He asked kissing her once more.

"I would like that." She said leaning up and wrapping her arms around him. He smiled before they made it to the car and drove off.

 


End file.
